Seekonk Schools Putting Budget Together

Seekonk Public Schools are working to put their FY’26 budget together amid financial challenges.

The initial level service budget projection was a 6.5 percent increase, Superintendent Rebecca Kidwell told the school committee on March 10.

The Town Administrator and Select Board requested the school department to work with a 2.5 percent increase, which amounts to $823,000.

Possible reductions include a Special Education teacher at the high school, along with one library aide and television production supplies. Athletic supplies would also be cut, which would save $12,000.

Fixed costs, which include transportation and energy, have increased 10 to 16 percent.

Kidwell noted there 2032 students in the district. 505 at the high school, 500 at Hurley Middle School, 578 at Aitken Elementary, and 443 at Martin Elementary.

21.9 percent are students with disabilities and 36.7 percent are students with “high needs.”

The district has 339 employees, including 177 teachers and 13 custodians. There are two librarians.

“We’ve kept our contracts very fair and very responsible,” Kidwell said. I’m grateful to the unions for that, but we are faced with other challenges that are beyond that salary expenditure.”

The School Committee will meet with the Finance Committee in a joint session on March 25. The town election is on April 7. A $1 million debt exclusion to pay the town’s share of the Tri County High School project is on the ballot.

Kidwell said if the measure is rejected, money would likely be taken from the school’s operating budget.